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Robinson: Why I quit my teaching job

When I was little, I used to play a card game called “war.”

A deck of cards was split evenly between each participant. Each player would pull the first card from his or her deck at the same time. This was called the “battle.” The player with the highest card would take both cards and move them to the bottom of the deck.

If each player pulled a card of equal value, then there was a “war,” and the players pulled cards again. The person whose face-up card had the highest value won the “war.”

The interesting thing about that game is that the deck was split evenly between the players, which made the game fair. The winner was determined by the luck of the draw.

I thought about this game after making my decision to leave the classroom. Let me explain.

I am not the kind of person who does something just to please others. I never have been, and I never will be. I must truly love what I am doing and have a strong passion and desire for what I am doing; otherwise, I am not being true to myself.

I am also not someone who has a problem with authority, but I will not do anything that I know will prove detrimental to others either immediately or in the future. The current state of our education system is in such disarray and is so damaging to students that I can no longer, in good conscience, be a willing participant.

The deck has been divided, but not evenly, which is causing students to lose the war before ever entering the battle.

I have never taught in a public school, and I’m not going to bash teachers who do because I understand how difficult a job they have. I also understand that many teachers are performing duties that go against their core beliefs. But because they must abide by rules set forth by those in higher positions, and they truly love teaching, they bite the bullet and do what they must.

However, when students enroll in college, any college, there are certain things, I, and many of my colleagues, expect students to know.

I have watched as students enroll in my English classes (and I don’t mean developmental classes) without any knowledge about how to write an essay.

I don’t mean they make simple mistakes; I mean they don’t even know that an essay is supposed to have paragraphs.

Text language, profanity, improper or nonexistent punctuation and other issues abound in their papers. Then many seem astounded when they receive a grade that is not an “A.”

If I had a nickel for every time I heard, “How can this be a failing paper? I was in AP English in high school,” I’d be a gazillionaire.

But all of the aforementioned reasons are not the main reason I decided to leave the classroom. My decision was based on the fact that I know, no matter how many administrators or legislators tell people every student should go to college, this is not true.

Many students will be allowed to pass classes because professors fear they will have too many failing grades in their classes. When those students graduate, they will be unable to find a job. They also will be saddled with thousands of dollars in school loan debt.

Institutions of higher learning are being run like factories. Students are going through the assembly line and being pushed out into the world without having all the parts they need, all because of one simple thing: GREED.

The almighty dollar has taken precedence over education, and I can take it no longer.

I have always told my students that the pen is mightier than the sword, and no longer being in the classroom affords me the freedom to use my pen, my words, to teach those who may not know what is really going on in classrooms, and to fight against anyone who supports and encourages legislation that harms and/or will harm students.

So, I’m leaving the classroom so I can enter the “war zone.” I am adding my “cards” to the deck. Because unlike a lot of students, I understand fully how the game is played. So for those who are fighting on the other side, you may have won the battle, but you will not win the war.